Pumping mechanism



April?, 1931. GfA. HUMAsoN PUMPING MECHANISM Filed April 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l o'l Z NVENTOR.

ATToRNE/s.

April 7, 1931. ca A. HUMAsoN 1,799,373

I PUMPING MECHANISM Filed 'April 2, 1929 2 sgets-sheet 2 l Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES.

PATENT oEFIcE GRANVLLE A. HUMASON, 01|?"V HQUSTON,

TEXAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 J. A.

LOGAN, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS PUMPING 'MECHANISM 4 Application med April 2, 1,929. Serial No. 851,871.

This invention-relates to new and useful improvements in a pumping mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the character described speciall designed for pumping fluids, such as oil, rom deep wells, and has been specially designed for pumping grit or sand laden iuids; and a particular object of the invention resides in the provision of a pump which may be lowered into a well containing fluid laden with grit or sand and of such construction that the grit laden fluid in the well will be excluded from the working p'arts of the mechanism, while the apparatus is being lowered and set in the bore, to the end that the sand and grit will not collect and conges/t in and about the valves and other working parts of the pump mechanism. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a pumping mechanism of the character described that may be lowered empty into a fluid illed bore and opened to permit the inflow of the uid to be pumped.

lA still further feature of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described which is very useful for the purpose of cleaning out a completed well bore in prearing the same for production. 'I

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts an example o which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of .the lower part of the mechanism, shown in closed position and ready to be lowered into the well.

set therein and thereafter Figure 6 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Referrlng now more particularly to the drawlngs, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures ,l

the numeral 1 desi ates a tubular liner which extends from t e ground surface down into the well. A screen 2, of any conventional construction is associated with, and is beneath the lower end of this liner, and there 1s a suitable sealing ring as 3, bet-Ween the ad] acent ends of the liner and screen to form .a fluid tight joint.

The numeral 4 designates the working barrel of the pump, attached to the lower end of which there is a tubular cage 5 having the annular inside seat 6 at its lower end in which the plunger like valve 7 closely seats, when in itslower position. This cage has the vertical inside channels 8 abovesaid seat and a trans-l verse spider 9 above the valve to limit thel f wings, by left hand threads, there is a gland 14 and beneath said threads said gland has an internal annular packing 15 which fits closely around said nipple and forms a fluid tight joint between the gland and nipple. The upper end of the gland is outwardly turned forming a flange 16 which has a packing ring 17 clamped between it and the clamp ring 18 beneath. The flange, packing ring, and clamp ring are held in assembled relation by means of the clamp bolts 19 which are iitted through them and said packing ring 17 forms a close lit with the tubular liner 1.

There is a perforated pipe 20 whose upper end is threaded onto the gland 14, and threaded into, and closing, the lower end of the pipe 2O there is a cap 21 havinga downwardly converging seat 22 in whic the tapering lower end of the nipple 11 is adapted to seat. The lower end of this cap lhas an internall threaded socket 23 which may be employe if desired, for the attachment of a conventional tublng catcher, to the apparatus.

In the form shown in Figure 3 the gland 14 has a sliding lit on the nipple 11 and is spaced awa7 from the liner 1. The pipe 20 is connecte to the nipple 14 and its lower end is closed by the ca 21 which has the internally threaded soc et 23, in the same manner as disclosed in Figures 1 and ,2. The cap 21 has the tapering internally threaded seat 22 to receive the threads on the tapering lower end of the nipple 11.

As shown in Figure 3 the lower end of the screen 2 is closed by a cap 24 and seated on this cap are the oppositely `disposed slips 25, 25 whose outer surfaces are toothed and formed to conform to the contour of and to engage the inner wall of the screen. The inner faces of these slips are upwardly flared and provided with the dove tailed tenons 26, 26 which ride in similarly shaped mortises 27, 27 formed in the outer downwardly converging sides of the cap 21. The lower end of the slips 25 are turned inwardly and support -a ring 28 and in the socket 23 there is a strong coil spring 29 which is interposed between said ring 28 and cap 21. When the mechanism is being lowered into the well or when it is elevated to lift the slips 25 oi of the cap 24 the spring29 will hold the slips downwardly and inwardly out of contact with the screen 2.*but said slips will be prevented from dropping oil? of the cap 21 by the shoulders, as 28', thereof, which engage against o osing shoulders, as 29, of said cap 21. shown in Figure 3 will anchor the perforated ipe 20 and the cap 21against turning. imilar means may be employed for anchoring the cap 21, Figure 1, against turning, and or this purpose the cap 21 has been provided with the external mortises 27, and shoulders 29. Either form, however, may be anchored at any desired point in the screen by the use of a conventional form of tubing catcher, now in common use, which may be attached to, and depend from, the cap- 21, 21 the screw threaded socket 23 being provided for this pur ose.

Connecte to the pump barrel 4, above the standing valve 7 there is a traveling valve mechanism which will now be described:

The numeral 30 designates a cylinder whose lower end is connected to the pump barrel 4 and the upper end of this cylinder is connected to the pump tubing 31. These connections are effected b the couplings 32, and 33. Within the cylinder 30 there are the annular lower and upper channel like retainers 34, which are filled with small metallic balls, as. 36, which may be coated with graphite.v r

hese slips, when seated as,

' Between these upper and lower retainers there is an intermediate channel like retainer 37. Said retainers 34, 37 and 35 are held in assembled relation by the couplings 32, 33 which abut said low-er and upper retainers respectively. The joints between the retainers,.as well as the joint between the coupling 33 and the retainer 35, are broken by the rings 38. Within the retainer 37 are the pairs of annular packing rings 39, with the metal bands 40 breaking the joints between the rings of each of said pairs. A tubular plunger 41 works through the packing, above described, within the cylinder 30, and forms a close fitting joint with the packing rings 39 and balls 34, and its lower end has an annular external shoulder 42 which opposes an annular internal shoulder 43, carried by the coupling 32 and which limits the upward movement of the plunger 41. Threaded onto the upper end of the plunger 41 there is a valve cage 44 whose upper end has an outwardly threaded pin 45 provided for the attachment of a pump sucker rod thereto. The valve cage 44 is cylindrical in form and has the side openings 46 therein. Within the cage there is a plunger like valve 47 which in lower position closes the upper end of the plunger 41 and in upper position opens the plunger to the openings 46. As the traveling valve plunger is reciprocated upon upward movement thereof the valve 47 will close and the fluid above it will be moved upwardly in the tubing and vat the same time the valve 7 will be lifted and the fluid beneath will be drawn up into the working barrel Vabove said valve 7 Upon downward movement of the traveling valve plunger the valve 7 will close and theA fluid in the barrel will pass above the valve 47 and this will 'be repeated during the operation of the pump.

In practice the liner 1 is first set in the bore and the screen is then lowered through the liner and set, usually on the bottom cf the bore and the packer 3, of any conventional type is then set to form a fluid tight seal between the upper end of the screen and the lower end of the liner, and by any conventional type of packer setting tool. The pump is then assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4 and let down into the liner. As lowered the lower end of the nipple 11, or 11', is seated in the seat 22 or 22, as the case may be so that the pum and pump tubing will be empty. The well) is usually filled with drilling iuid, commonly known as slush, that is water filled with earthy formation. The lower end of the nipple 11, or 11 being closed this slush cannot enter the pump and settle around and clog the working parts of the pump. When the slips 25 seat on the cap 24 the tapering sides of the cap 21, or 21', will wedge between the slips and spread them out into engagement with the screen and thus anchor the cap 21, or 21,

with the screen,

as the case may be, against turning. While the pump is being lowered, or in case the slips 25, are for any reason oif of bottom the threads connecting the nipple to the gland 14. In case the type shown in Figure 3 is employed, when the nipple 11 is turned it will be unscrewed out of the cap 21. The pump tubing is then elevated to carry the nipple upwardly to unseat its lower end from said cap 21, or 21 and the fluid in the surrounding strata will be permitted to flow in through the screen 2, the perforated pipe 20 and on up through the nipple 11, or 11 and to be forced out of the well by the pump. The packer 17 of the form shown in Figure 1, will confine all of the fluid beneath it and will prevent it from passing up into the liner around the pump. This packing 17, however, is not indispensable and it may be omitted, as shown in Figure 3 and this will permit the level of the fluid to rise inthe liner but all of the fluid will eventually pass through the perforated pipe 20 and out through the pump.

The mechanism may be readily removed from the well by an upward pull on the pump tubing and upon such upward movement the wings of the nipple will engage the lower end of the gland 14, or 14` and said gland and the perforated pipe attached thereto will be elevated with the pump. As the mechanism moves upwardly the spring 29 will operate to hold the slips 25 out of contact as above stated.-

The device may be used,fin some cases,vas a bailer for cleaning out a well bore. In such case the traveling valve mechanism described will be removed and the apparatus, preferably of the form shown in Figure 1, with said traveling valve mechanism removed, may be let down into the well with the lower end of the nipple 11 closed, as explained.

When the apparatus is fully lowered the lower end of the nipple may be opened to permit the surrounding fluid to enter through the screen 2 and pipe 20 and pass on into and up through the nipple 11. The lower end of said nipple may then be closed and the fluid trapped and the device then withdrawn with the entrapped fluid therein. This operation may be repeated until the well is cleaned out.

The speciications and drawings describe and show two forms of the invention by way of example only but it is apparent that various modifications thereof may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

vof the tubing to permit ing means to 1. The combination with a tubing adapted to be lowered into a well bore and having a closure for the lower end of the tubing to exclude iuid from the tubing while being lowered, of means for anchoring said c osure against rotation in the bore, said tubing bein movable upwardlylf, relativel to said anchore closure, to effect t e opening of the lower end the inflow of fluid into the same.

2. The combination with a tubing adapted to be lowered into a well bore, means for closing thelower end of the tubing while the same is being lowered, to prevent the entrance of fluid into said tubing, means for anchoring said closing means against rotation and downward movement in the bore, means operative through the rotation of the tubing to effect the movement `of the tubing relative to the closing means and effective to open the lower end of the tubing to permit the flow of Huid from the bore into the tubing, a tubular screen around the lower end of the tubing one end of which is connected to said closing means and whose other end forms a iiuid tight joint with said tubing.

3. The combination with a tubing adapted to be lowered into a well bore, means for closing the lower end of the tubing, while the same is being lowered, to prevent the passage of fluid into or from said tubing, means 'for anchoring said closing means in the bore, means operative through the rotation of the tubing to effect the movement 0f the tubing relative to the closing means and effective to open the lower end of the tubing to permit the flow of liiuid from the bore into the tubing,

a perforated pipe around the lower end of the tubing one end of which is connected to the closing means and whose other end forms a joint with said tubing.

4. The combination with a tubing adapted to be lowered into a well bore, of means for closing the lower end of the tubing to prevent the iniow of fluid from the well into said tubing, means for anchoring said closing means in the bore, means connecting the closthe tubing, said connecting means being eective to permit a limited longitudinal movement of the tubing relative to the closing means to open the lower end of the tubing to permit the inflow of said fluid into the tubing, said connecting means being` characterized by the provision of a tubular screening element around the lower end of the tubing.

5. The combination with a tubing adapted to be lowered into a well bore, means for closing the lower end of the tubing, while the same is being lowered, to prevent the entrance of fluid into said tubing, means for anchoring said closing means against downward movement in the bore, means. operative through the rotation of the tubing to effect the movement of the tubing relative to the closin means and effective to open the lower end o the tubing to permit the ow of iiuid from the bore into the tubing.

6. The combination with a tubing adapted to be lowered into a well bore, means for closing the lower end of the tubing, while the same is being lowered, to prevent the entrance of Huid into said tubing, means for anchoring said ,closing means in the bore, means operative through the rotation of the tubing t`o effect the lmovement of the tubing relative to the closing means and effective to open the lower end of the tubing to permit the How of Huid from the bore `into the tubing, and means in the tubing to effect the upward flow of Huid therethrough.

7 The combination with a tubing adapted to be lowered into a Well bore, and having an upwardly opening valve therein, of means for closing the lower end of the tubing to prevent the inflow of fluid from the well into said tubing, means for anchoring said closing means in the bore, means connecting the closing means to the `tubing, said connecting means being eective to permit a limited vertical movement of the tubing relative to the closing means to open the lower end of the tubin to permit the inflow of said fluid into the tu ing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GRANVILLE A. HUMASON. 

